Scoring free drinks at the bar isn’t the easiest thing to do if you’re at the bar. As much as we’d like more women to approach us and buy us drinks, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen anytime soon. Not because you look like something she stepped on on her way inside the bar, no, but because women are not empowered enough to approach men. At least that’s what we tell ourselves.

 

 

Paying for all your drinks can get expensive, so you’ll be doing yourself a favor if you can trick your friends into buying you a drink. And here’s how you do it and hopefully get a laugh out from your friend if he has a sense of humor.

Also, if you’re not looking to mooch off of your friends, it’s a great way to break the ice, entertain your friends and appear less of an alcoholic than you really are. There’s only so much conversation that you can do at the bar until someone needs to step up the entertainment factor. That someone could be you.

 

1) THE LAST OF US
THE WAGER: That if you and a friend take turns picking up, 1,2, or 3 coins/matchsticks from a pile of them, no matter how many coins/matchsticks your companion picks up you’ll be able to make him/her draw last.
HOW TO: Lay down a pile of exactly 17 coins/matchsticks and ask your friend to pick first. Make sure the total number of coins/matches picked up in each round is 4. Example: If he takes 1, you take 3; if he takes 2, you take 2. You always win.

 

 

2) TRICK NAPKIN KNOT
THE WAGER: That you can hold a napkin at two ends and, without letting go, tie it into a knot.
HOW TO: Fold your arms before you grasp the ends of the napkin; when you unfold them the napkin will have a beautiful knot.

 

 

3) DISCOMBOBULATED
THE WAGER: That your friend standing with his left ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and cheek pressed against the wall, can’t lift his right leg off the floor.
HOW TO: Tell him to follow your instructions and watch as the inebriated buffoon tries his hardest but fails every time.

 

 

4) EASY DOES IT
THE WAGER: That you can get the 100 Rupee note from under an inverted bottle resting on top of it without touching it or upsetting it.
HOW TO: Lay a crisp 100 Rupee note on the table and invert a bottle on its center. Now carefully roll the cash from one end so that the rolled up portion gradually pushes the bottle off the bill and onto the table. Be careful not to touch it with your hands.

 

 

5) MATCH SQUARE
THE WAGER: That you can form a square using two matches without breaking them in two.
HOW TO: Bend the matchstick into a right angle and form a square with them.

 

 

6) THE DANCING TOOTHPICK
THE WAGER: That you can make a toothpick dance around on another toothpick without flicking it with your finger.
HOW TO: You will need two toothpicks. Place the first toothpick between your forefinger and thumb of your dominant hand. Hold the second toothpick on your non-dominant hand and place it gently on top of the first toothpick in a perpendicular manner.
Now dig the toothpick on the nail of your middle finger and drag it upwards. This generates the friction to bounce the other toothpick in a magical manner. Make sure the movement is not noticeable to onlookers.

 

WORDS: ANKIT SHAKYA | PHOTOS: PRITAM CHHETRI | LOCATION: IRISH PUB